Susan Poag/The Times-PicayuneJefferson Parish interim President Steve Theriot addressed a hurricane preparedness event Wednesday in Kenner.Jefferson Parish interim President Steve Theriot said today he's asked the Louisiana and United States governments whether the federal flood insurance program will cover damages if even a mild tropical storm blows oily water from the Macondo well leak into homes and businesses.

Flood insurance is sponsored by the federal government and sold by private companies.

If it turns out that oil damage isn't covered, Theriot said he expects FEMA and the Obama administration to take steps to protect property owners before a storm strikes during the 2010 hurricane season that opened Tuesday.

"BP is the responsible party for any oil damage, but our people shouldn't have to deal with a FEMA adjuster and a BP adjuster," he said.

Theriot's made his remarks to other government leaders and emergency planners at an Entergy-sponsored event that preceeds an hurricane conference opening later today in Kenner.

He said he made his inquiry during a Tuesday phone call with state Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon and in person with Juliette Kayyem, assistant secretary for intergovernmental programs in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, during a gathering at the Port of New Orleans.

While BP's well leak has fouled coastal islands and wetlands, no oil is known yet to have damaged residential or business property.

Donelon said that flood insurance policies do indeed cover contamination by oil for buildings.

"A flood insurance policy will cover contamination from oil contained in water that floods a home," he said. So if we are victimized by a hurricane in this current season and these oil sheens are pushed ashore into people's homes and businesses....those who have flood insurance, they will be covered."

However, Donelon was quick to point out that flood insurance policies only cover damage to structures -- not ground contamination. To handle the impact of oil on personal property, Donelon said he is urging Louisiana's congressional delegation to retroactively include flood insurance coverage for contaminated ground.

He also said homeowners policies do not cover contamination or flood damage, and he urged all residents and business owners to purchase flood insurance.

Should a hurricane strike, the claims will be handled through the individual companies that sell the policies, Donelon said. It would not be handled by FEMA, which ultimately pays for the program, or BP.